


Lands across the sunset seas

by AdhirajBose



Series: Lands across the sunset seas [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-08
Updated: 2014-05-30
Packaged: 2018-01-11 14:47:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1174354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdhirajBose/pseuds/AdhirajBose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Across the narrow sea is the continent of Centros, but its people know it as "the middle realm". A land shielded by a magic force field defending it from the effects of the preternatural change of weather which affects the rest of the world. There are 4 seasons. Summer, Autumn, Winter and Monsoon. 4 heavenly beings keep watch over these lands but !... the field is weakening and weather patterns are going mad.  An untimely monsoon followed by an unending winter brings with it starvation and calamity threatening the idyllic peace of The Middle Realm.</p>
<p>Emperor on the 'throne of heaven' sends an envoy, his trusted Admiral Nag to search a mythical land across the sea of the rising sun *( sunset seas from the other side of the ocean ). Where people have grown accustomed to the strange weather that threatens this continent. But all is not well on the throne of Centros. Intrigues surround the Emperor and war threatens to undo the reign of peace that exists there now. New ambitious lords seek to claim the mandate of heaven to rule the continent. </p>
<p>While Admiral Nag leads a crew on a great barge on a perilous journey across the seas. Whence he discovers.... "the fabled land of plenty" is not what it seemed...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Storm

THE STORM 

 

 _In_ _the_ _memoirs_ _of_ _Lord  of_ _Farwynd_ _:_

 

The storms grew exceptionally strong today. The fisherfolk on the lonely isle have seen no good days this past week. Most have fled together with their families to Pyke or Great Wyk. Only those remain who missed the half day's calm and have no means of escaping this storm.  
  
I must note that this is a most queer storm. The Iron isles have seen storms before, but I cannot recollect any storm that ever centered around one island. It is as if the Storm God wishes to punish the Farwynds alone. But there is something more mysterious about this storm. I believe a great force is making its way upon us.

 

I warged into a dolphin today and made my way westward swimming with my pod. The creatures of the sea, can look further and deeper than man. Mayhaps they know secrets of lands beyond the sea that we don't ? Our house has mastered the art that I am told, only wildlings and Northmen know of. This power, one must use it else wise it will whither. That much I have learned seeing my own lord father, who once claimed to warg into a whale, but before he died, could not so much as warg into a goldfish. There is great disdain for magic in this world and those who possess its knowledge are not well respected.. nor feared truly. Otherwise, it would be a Farwynd and not a Black king that sat on the sea stone chair !

 

When I swim among the fishes in the sea, there is a feeling of great adventure, beauty and freedom ! But today... I felt different emotions. The Storm has thrown my friends of the sea into a panic. A feeling of doom seemed to overwhelm us all. In that storm I struggled against the waves to swim westward in vain. There was no sun to guide us, and the fishes have lost sense of direction in the midst of lightning and thunder and rain. But something more ominous frightened us... something unusual and unworldly.

 

A large school of fishes swam before us and my pod. My brethren hunted them down, and I with them. It was a good hunt... till a loud booming noise sent ripples through the waters. I thought at first it must be the lightning or thunder. But what thunder would send ripples through the water ? It had to be lightning then, but there was something peculiar about this. It was not the sound that lightning would make when it struck water. This sound was a low heavy boom. In the water, we were thrown back by this tremendous and mysterious force.

 

I swam back, leaving a mass of dead fishes behind me. Fear and uncertainty gripped us all. We swam as fast as we could. I instinctively swam back eastward, only once turning to see what lay behind me. The grey skies and the darkness clouded my vision. I could not see the thing for what it was, till the lightning illuminated the sky, and the shadow of the behemoth showed itself.

 

A great ship, bigger than the biggest dromons I had ever seen. I would swear, its sheer size would allow three galleys to easily fit inside its hull. And I saw it heading East, raining an explosive death on seas below.

 

I have sent a raven bearing this story to King Harren requesting longships and fighting galleys be marshaled to the defense of the Lonely Light. I wait in reply for the king in all his wisdom to pay heed to my warnings... but alas! I do not think my warnings will be heeded. Our people have conquered the riverlands, and rule the Sunset sea coast from Bear Island to the Arbor. The troubles of this world worry our king more than the fantastical ramblings of a lesser lord.

 

This was not my first sighting of the great ship. Earlier, I swum far and long into the distant horizon whence the skies were clearer and storm had not yet come. There I saw a ship in its likeness moving across the horizon with the sun setting in the west. It did not move due east but headed North, moving with the current. Across the setting sun, it seemed a thing of beauty. Its stern glistening like an ornate jewel bathed in the golden light of the sun. The sigil of our house coming to life. I knew then that the fabled lands across the sunset sea was real. I knew then that these people existed, serene, beautiful and majestic, but today, they came as a terror in the dark.

 

I am certain that it can be no other ship but the ship I had seen then by the setting sun. They were beautiful, majestic and serene, that they could also be destructive I did not know. What powers do these people possess to rain down such a fiery death ? What knowledge could they posses to build such magnificent vessels ? Whatever they know, whatever they have, we will know soon. They are coming here, to the lands of Westeros.

 

I look across the window in my chamber, seeing the grey skies. Awaiting this behemoth of the seas. I wait in watch as the people of the fabled lands beyond the sunset seas finally reveal themselves. I know not what will happen ....


	2. Admiral Nag

_The Captain's journal,_

_2nd day of the 11th month of the year of the Snake. Year 1496 of the heavenly empire._

We have weathered yet another storm on our journey. This one most like the last one we encountered, came sudden and abrupt. In the middle realm it would now be the season of winter, whence the roses blossom in the valleys of the North and cool winds blow over the plains of the South and East. We have never heard of storms in winter. The weather here makes no sense. It makes me shudder to think that one day, this may be the fate of our world.

 

The emperor set us out on a noble quest to find the lands of plenty across the sea of the rising sun. Where the people have learnt to survive and thrive under this strange chaotic weather, where summers last decades and winters can last a lifetime. The force field which has guarded our realm from the chaos of the world is weakening. The discipline of climate enforced by the heavenly beings above is breaking.

 

Famine and starvation have struck the river plains of the South where odd weather patterns have wasted an entire harvest. The emperor is a wise man and the people put their faith in him. So far, he has managed the worst of the crisis but worse still awaits us if the dragon seers are to be believed. They speak of a doom that threatens to befall the middle realm which no worldly measure can remedy. The emperor's canals and vast irrigation networks would be for nought if an unending summer leaves the lands parched, or a winter should dry out the waters of the rivers from the Ice mountains. They have been shown this glimpse of a dark future by the heavenly beings themselves.

 

For this reason it is that the Emperor has sent on this quest. To find the land across the sea of the rising sun, so they may help us learn to adapt to this strange weather... but our journey has not been easy. 

 

We started with three Grand vessels and a crew of fifteen hundred, armed to the teeth with a hundred barrels of exploding powder, a thousand hand bombs, fifteen hundred muskets and an equal number of repeat firing crossbows and fifty one iron dragon cannons. With us accompanied twenty brave dragonriders and their majestic war dragons.

 

Now.. we have two ships where we had three and nine hundred men where we had fifteen hundred. We came with stores to last us at least seven months. It is the sixth month of our journey and in my last stock taking, food stores were good for only three more weeks. We had long since resorted to fishing and scavenging from the dozen islands strewn across these seas, but not one island has been sighted for a month now. Fishes too seem scarce. Our stock of weaponry too has been reduced considerably.

 

It was in keeping morale however, where we found our most difficult challenge in this journey. I had chosen my crew from men with hearts of iron aye, but iron is brittle. In the six months of this journey, we have faced unusual and erratic weather, strange giant sea creatures with tentacles, and a disastrous cyclone. The weather has played mind games with my men and a long journey has taken its toll. However, most frightening of all, was the attack of the Great Squid. 

 

'The pink peril' our men call it. Not two days past we were attacked by such a creature. I had ordered my men to have the exploding powder and iron dragon cannons ready for battle should another attack come. I noted from our last attack, that these creatures seem to come out before storms, when the ocean currents are faster and the winds blow stronger. I have thus, been keeping a keen eye on the weather patterns. It has helped predict the previous assault.

 

Our cannons were effective against the beast, as were the dragons. The dragon cavalry are swift and precise in their attacks. It must be the with blessings of the Gods that I still retain a dozen dragons in my crew despite the desertions. We were not surprised this time. The Dragonriders scouted the surroundings and spotted the great beast making its way to our ship. Sea mines were thrown to deter its coming. We skillfully maneuvered the creature using our explosives and our dragons. When it was in position for a shot, our cannons took it down with 3 volleys. Contrast this with our previous encounter where we lost a Grand vessel and three hundred men. When the beast attacked from below and took us by surprise. This attack sure enough, was preceded by a cyclone which came abruptly.

 

Last night a fear gripped the crew of another imminent squid attack. They had seen strange ripples in the currents during a storm had feared the 'pink peril' might be upon us yet again. They threw sea mines into the ocean, out of fear to deter the creatures below. But there was no squid that night. The true peril was the storm. Thankfully we came unscathed. So now we continue our journey Eastward.

 

The emperor's own alchemist, the learned alchemist Xiang gifted us with a magical compass of his own creation. It would point to the nearest land on the horizon. The needle has remained pointed Eastward, since the last 3 months. But yesterday, something strange happened. The needle stopped wavering. It has been fixed east. That is a sign that land is close.. very close. I have been sending my dragon riders on day long scouting missions every week to seek out if land lays ahead. None had returned with news of land yet. I await the findings that my scouts will bring.

 

The crew's morale had improved at the news of the changing direction of the compass. They put their faith on the emperor's alchemists and his invention. I feel it a respite. We have come on board with Acharya Vidd. A scholar from the imperial library. He was chosen for his knowledge of the fabled lands of the East, most importantly the language of the people who inhabit it, the so-called “Andals”. The travellers of the earlier age a thousand years past, had supposedly visited this land, it is their stories and legends that we know of. This is the only knowledge we have of this realm, bound in worn out ancient volumes, stored in the Imperial library.

 

Each day he regales us with the tales of the travails of adventurers like Captain Zeng and his oceanic voyages. Only three travellers have ever braved crossing the sea of the rising sun, The merchant adventurer Zeng was the first who returned with rich vines and ship laden with gold ingots. The Edo Pirate Wo, from the Edo islands was the second, who raided five of the seven kingdoms of the land of Westeros, and we are the third. His stories encourage us and gives us the strength to keep going ahead.

 

However, unlike the travellers of old we do not seek plunder or riches, we seek knowledge and help. We come in peace. But would the Andals know of it ? The stories speak of violent, brutal reavers, of fierce barbaric tribesmen, of cannibals and people who flay their enemies. The travellers of old fought and bartered their way through the continent and returned alive. We are prepared to do the same, should they greet us with violence.. we will reply with fire.


	3. Acharya Vidd

_In the chronicles of Acharya Vidd_

 

_6 th day of the 11th month of the year of the Snake. Year 1496 of the heavenly empire._

 

 

At long last, after many months of sailing.. we have sighted land ! Not two days ago, the dragonriders had returned with news of land and today, we have the shoreline in sight. The crew was of course overjoyed at the sight of land, our long perilous voyage becomes fruitful at last. But it was not simply land that we were told of. We had spotted the castle on the island that our scouts had sighted. It was the lord of the castle that our rider had spoke with, who told him of the continent of Westeros across the sea. The fabled lands across the sunset seas, the land of 'Westeros' exists ! The tales were true! Gods be good, The stories were all true ! ...

I prayed to the Mother of Wisdom in thanks, for leading us true thus far. I have taken to reading the chronicles of the Sea of the rising sun, which details the adventures of Captain Zeng, the adventurer merchant, his voyage across the ocean and his trades with the ports of 'Westeros'. Oh how I relish the thought of seeing its wonders.

Old town with its great tower, of the fabulous wealth of Lannisport and Casterly Rock. The wondrous great ice wall of the North, which dwarfs the Great fortifications of the North in our own middle realm. The beautiful winding rivers of the riverlands, and the fertile plains of the Reach, where delicious wine is grown and the land is abound with abundance. The beautiful valleys of the Vale and the fascinating people of Dorne. I wish to see it all ! Most of all however, I wish to learn from the maesters of Old Town. The wise men of Westeros who possess knowledge of all things in Westeros, the acharyas of their world.

In this journey, we will learn of the ways of these men, and how they cope with the weather of chaos. Discipline and order in the universe is the guide which keeps nature and man in harmony, lest the forces of chaos take charge. Learning is the weapon man must use to secure this being in his oneness with the universe. This is the balance that defines our people, and this balance is being lost. A sinister change is taking place, bringing with it famine and starvation. I dearly hope... we fulfill our mission.

Finding these maesters would be key to our mission. They would tell us of the change of seasons, the length of winter, the length of summer, the patterns of weather and how to live and adapt to it. The adventurer merchant Zeng had made a map of Westeros to detail his journey and find a way back. Alas! The map itself was lost along with the merchant himself. In his second voyage, he never returned. But there were those who were loyal to him, who made copies of the map. The last copy was left to the imperial library, which I have now in our possession here.

Based on the scout's report and our position at sea, I would say the isle that lay before us would be the lonely isle of the iron born. The adventurer Merchant Zeng, has described the Iron born as fierce warriors of the sea. Raiders and reavers who worship the Drowned God of the sea. The travails of the pirate lord Wo reveal them to be a people committed to piracy. When the pirate lord had landed on their shores, it was said that he had found men who would be his kin. They came to challenge him over the seas, to attack and rob his booty, Lord Wo took their challenges, every captain who was ever bold to face him, and slaughtered each in turn. In his travails, it is mentioned he would decorate the railings of his deck with the severed head of the captains of the ships he captured or sunk.

The only pirate in history to ever successfully raid and capture a Great vessel in open sea, I would not have expected any less of him. However, the abilities of the Iron born are not to be underestimated. They are the scourge of the western coast, whose writ ran wherever the seas touched the land. They use stout swift vessels they call 'long-ships' who pounce from the waters on the unsuspecting and unweary. Their sailors are skilled both at archery and melee fighting. An iron born raid however, would rely on the swiftness of their long ships and the element of surprise on any unsuspecting ship. This is where their skills with the battle axe would come into play, as hordes of bloodthirsty Iron born board the target ship. On the land, they would go as far as their ships would let them, across the seas on the coast, or upriver from its mouth, and raid deep inland. They would harrow their enemies and retreat. This is described by the Merchant adventurer in detail.

But where battle on open sea is concerned, they have a disadvantage. Their so-called 'longships', so brilliant at raiding could not have stood much chance before the Great Vessel of pirate Wo, with its canons blazing and crews of several hundred armed men, and it would not stand much chance against our more formidable ships. But all this was over a thousand years ago. Perhaps time has changed those people. After all, even these pirates may trade, where coin is involved, battle axes may be traded. Whatever be the case, it is but obvious that we would land on the Iron born shores first. The island of the Iron born in the far edge of the continent of Westeros, at the very end of the sea of the rising sun, would be the Lonely island. This will be our gateway to the fabled land of plenty.

Our distance should not be more than five miles as the dragon flies. As I write these words, our ship approaches the isle... steadily, and surely. I expect a peaceful entry to the isles, the scouts have not reported any other ships in sight but fishing boats and has not reported to us any sighting of armed men, or any possible military threat. Even so, the captain has stated his intention of arriving armed and ready for any confrontation. It is perhaps the wisest course to take.


	4. Lord of Farwynd

 

_From the memoirs of Lord of Farwynd_

 

 _[6_ _th_ _day of the 11_ _th_ _month of the year of the Snake. Year 1496 of the heavenly empire.]_

 

 

I sat alone that day when the dragon visited with a banner of peace. I had not expected them to come in peace. I had not expected the dragon rider to bear the white ensign of peace, but that was how they came. The people of the land across the sunset seas. He spoke a strange tongue, eerie and yet elegant. Only a few words of the common tongue could he speak, but they were enough to tell of who he was and where he had come from. Their ship was close.

 

“Westeros” I had said pointing towards the East. The rider became euphoric. A burst of joy had lit his eyes, and in one swoop flew with his dragon, back to his ship. That was the day the dragon came. The ship would follow. I could see it now through my Lyseni looking glass, swiftly making its way towards our shores.

 

During the storm, and the weeks before, when I wandered through the oceans. I could never get a clear look at that majestic vessel from beyond the sunset seas. Nor could I see that there were in fact two. All I saw.. all I felt was a sense of awe and of being overwhelmed, but now I see it clearly. Two grand ships of mammoth proportions. Five tall masts with five great white sails, bigger than the largest dromons to ever sail in the continent of Westeros, larger than any trade galley from the free cities. The biggest ships that any man of this world would have ever seen.

 

The two ships were of equal size, both very large. They had 6 sails each, which looked as though they have been folded six times. While our ships have a pointed bow, these ships were flat at the edge. A flat faced gilded dragon head graced the bow with anchors hanging from its teeth. I have noticed two decks. These seem to be dark wooden ships with little ornamentation aside from the bow. Dragons flew in and out of these ships. On the bow of the leading ship, I saw the man who must be the captain. A tall imposing figure wearing a large red turban, a white cloak flowing in the wind.

 

I have ordered my men to clear the harbor on the lonely isle for the ships to come. We must be ready to greet them. Since the passing of the queer storm six days past, the fisherfolk have started returning to the lonely light. Our travellers won't find an empty land, and I won't be short of people. I have sent a raven to Great Wyk, Pyke, Harrenhal, and Harlaw addressing all the great houses of this arrival describing the ships in detail. I only hope, my message is not ignored.

 

When here, I plan to discuss with the captain of the ships, and understand their true motives in coming here. I will learn of their journey and their ways. If they do come in peace, what drives them to come so far ? How far have they travelled ? These people ride dragons, and build grand ships of a size and scale we cannot, with weapons that thunder. Why would these people seek Westeros ? All will be explained when they land here.

 

The dragon rider spoke an alien tongue, but he could mutter a few broken words in our common tongue. Which makes me wonder, if earlier travellers had visited Westeros in some distant past, or one of our own visited them some time. He wore armor of steel that covered his chest, thighs, arms and limbs. Beautiful ripples shone in the light oddly reminiscent of Valyrian steel. I had seen a Valyrian steel sword only once, its ripples shone along its blade. The sword itself had a dark coloration. The armour of this rider seemed to contain such traits, which leads me to think that these people use Valyrian steel in their arms. Yet he looked nothing like what a Valyrian should look like.

 

My father once told me of Old Valyria. The great freehold empire which spanned the length and breadth of the continent of Essos from the coast Narrow sea to the Slaver's Bay. They conquered and ruled with the might of dragons they tamed, born from the fires of old Valyria. The old freehold is gone now, with Valyria itself swept away by the fires of the Great doom a hundred years ago. Now all that is left of Old Valyria is in the distant island of Dragonstone, where sit the lords of House Targaryen, the last of Old Valyria. Purple eyed with silvery white hair. That showed the blood of Old Valyria. Our dragon rider, had hair that was jet black flowing to his shoulders under his conical helmet that covered his head and ears. His skin was fair and white but with a yellowish tinge and his eyes shaped like squinted slits on a smooth skinned face.

 

It was hard to measure his height whilst he was seated upon his dragon, but I would not say that he was shorter than any ironborn, nor built any less strong. It was his dragon, however, that I found most queer. The dragons of Old Valyria was giant frightening beings which instilled terror on even the bravest of men. When they would take flight their wings would shroud the ground in darkness and block out the sun. The dragons used by these men, seemed more like griffins. A dark greyish black creature, with two short forearms and two long muscular legs. A slender neck with elaborate gilded black scales. The rider sat on a saddle around its lower neck. The wings seemed oddly large for a creature this size. 

 

I spotted at least half a dozen of these creatures taking flight hovering above my castle. I anticipate that in a few hour's time the two ships would anchor in our harbour. One concern though, boggles my mind, if these ships do come, how would my people react ? Iron born are trained reavers and fighters. The first instinct of an Iron born captain aboard a longboat would be to attack a ship if it presents itself vulnerable.

 

Trading galleys laden with gold and silks make their way from Essos to the sunset coast on trading journeys. They make for colorful targets of a longship captain. From afar, the gilded helm of these great vessels could easily be mistaken for a trading ship. On such an occasion I would fear more for the Iron born captain foolish enough to attack this ship, than these sailors. They are not traders. These people in armour can fight with weapons we have not yet seen. Dragons never came to Westeros before today. What chance would we have if they turned hostile ?

 

I must be with them in this journey. I must aid them in engaging with the lords of the Iron isles.

 

 

 

 


	5. Admiral Nag

Admiral Nag

 

_Captain's Journal_

 

_[8_ _th_ _day of the 11_ _th_ _month of the year of the Snake. Year 1496 of the heavenly empire.]_

 

The Lord who names himself Farwynd, lord of the lonely light had greeted us when we landed on these shores. He was hospitable enough but his modest holdings would not last us long and we had no intention of lingering for too long in his modest abode. The lord insists that we wait for reply from the king and other Lords on these islands. The Lord had asked for emissaries to come and treat with us. Two days have passed, not one lord has responded, to say nothing of the King.

 

While I respect his hospitality and shelter, I insisted on pressing on to the isles and meet the great lords ourselves. The good lord agreed, but with the condition that he would come with us on board my own Great Vessel, and act as a liasion with the lords of the iron isles.

 

We set sail on the 7th hour of the of the day soon after sunrise. We sailed westward towards the isle of Great Wyk where several of the great houses of the Iron born rule, including a branch of Lord Farwynd's own house. We expected the lords of these islands to treat us as Lord Farwynd had, with courtesy and generosity. But seeing Lord Farwynd, it is easy to forget that we are dealing with hardened men who live by sword and sail.

 

We were near the isle of Great Wyk, its shoreline visible when our crew sighted almost half a dozen longships appearing from either side of our ships. This would not have alarmed us, if Lord Farwynd had not warned us of the oncoming danger. These were raiding ships and they had come to raid us. Thankfully, we had come prepared for battle.

 

The crew in the gun deck prepared the cannons while the crew on the upper deck readied the repeat firing crossbows and muskets. The ironborn started attacking us with arrows, more than a dozen quarrels landed on the deck and the sides. In reply to their arrows, we fired our cannons. At that moment we unleashed the dragons from their holdings. Upon our signal the captain of the second vessel unleashed the dragons as well.

 

The combined assault of dragons and cannons made quick work of the first few raiders, but they were only the first five of twenty ships approaching our way. More Longships emerged from the horizon and attacked us from all directions, front, rear, and side. We were surrounded, but we had our dragons and our cannons. The dragons burned the ships flanking us from the rear and front while the cannons took out the ships which attacking us from the sides.

 

Before long the battle was won. The enemy ships were either sunk or fleeing. The day was ours. We captured those who survived the fight and put them to question. We came to this land, with a mission of peace, to explore and learn of the world of Westeros. We take this raid, as an act of war breaking the emperor's peace. The correct course of action now, would be to punish whoever was responsible for this. We questioned the raiders to know their lord and master. “We're all master of our ships, but my men answer to Lord Greyjoy of Pyke” said one of the survivors. So to Pyke we will go and demand reparation.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> The story was inspired by speculations with fans of Ice and Fire on what may lie across the Sunset Seas. I was all the more inspired by the short mention of the lands of the Sunset Seas in Feast For Crows. So I have created my own little world within GRRM's masterfully crafted world of Ice and Fire. 
> 
> Some details have been deliberately altered to make for an alternative storyline in which Lord Gyles Farwynd finds himself in the Land of Centros, and finds himself playing a decisive role in the events there.


End file.
